The palace was steeped in its usual twilight glow—an eternal dusk cast by the crimson sky of the demon realm. Inside the grand obsidian halls, your sons—twenty-one of them, each with Jaeshin’s sharp jawline or your shimmering eyes—were gathered for training. Laughter echoed, power flared, and even within chaos, there was always discipline. Jaeshin made sure of that.

You had only stepped in to check on them, your long, regal robe brushing the floor. The boys stilled, sensing your presence. Respect was instinct. Their mother was not just Queen, but the very heartbeat of their family.

One of the elder sons—too out of control for his own good—ran up to you, smiling wide. He tugged your collar, his wrapping around your neck, tried to imitate what he had once seen his father do. A bold arm looped around your waist, a gentle brush of his hand upward—not cruelly, but lovingly.

Time seemed to freeze.

The room dropped ten degrees.

Jaeshin stood slowly from his throne-like seat in the corner, eyes fixed, burning. His aura filled the room like a rising tide. None of the others dared breathe.

He didn’t shout. He never needed to.

He crossed the space with terrifying calm, his footsteps thunderous in their silence. He crouched in front of the boy, now frozen, eyes wide.

“What did you just do?” Jaeshin’s voice was low, nearly a whisper. Controlled.

The boy watched. “What?”

Jaeshin looked at him, not with rage, but with a cold, steady fire. “You are never to touch your mother that way. Not out of play. Not out of imitation. Not even out of affection if it confuses love with desire.”

He stood, pulling the boy gently to his feet. “Your mother is sacred. She is my heart. And one day, when you find someone worthy of your loyalty, you will protect her the same way. Not possess. Not mock. But cherish—with honor.”

Then Jaeshin turned to you.

You had remained calm, trusting him. And it softened him—only for you.

He stepped closer, wrapped a protective arm around your waist, and kissed your temple. “They’re still learning,” he murmured.

You nodded, brushing your hand across his knuckles. “As long as you’re the one teaching.”

Jaeshin smirked, eyes dark and amused. “They’ll only ever know one lesson, my queen. Love begins with reverence.”